1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of alarm clocks, and more particularly to a novelty alarm clock incorporating a game feature, in which an activated alarm signal is rendered inoperative in response to the actuation of a remotely operated actuator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For most people, the beginning of a work day is announced by an alarm clock. However, the transition from sleep to wakefulness is difficult for many people, and numerous practices and devices have been implemented with the intention of facilitating this transition. Some people use alarm clocks with unpleasant or extraordinarily loud audible signals, to jar the sleeper awake. Others place their alarm clocks at a distance from their beds, so that physical activity is required to deactivate the alarm. Such abrupt methods of waking the sleeper are undesirable to many. For a more gently transition to wakefulness many "clock radios" ARE available, in which a radio and an alarm clock are incorporated into a single unit. In most of these devices the user may choose to be awakened by music from a radio broadcasting station of their choice, rather than by a traditional alarm signal. Unfortunately, this approach, while gentle, often results in oversleeping, as it is easy for many to continue to sleep in the presence of music. Indeed, music is often used to encourage sleep.
A middle ground between the abrupt and gentle approach to alarm clocks is found in the use of a "snooze button," by which an activated alarm signal is rendered temporarily inoperative, affording the sleeper additional rest after being initially awakened, and thereby allowing a sleeper opportunity to awaken gradually. In current implementations of such a delay feature, the snooze button is located on the alarm clock, which is then placed in close proximity to the sleeper to allow the snooze feature to be activated without the sleeper getting out of bed. Unfortunately, convenient use of such a snooze feature requires placement of the clock within close proximity to the user, which can result in several problems. First, such placement of the alarm clock unit allows for repeated use of the snooze feature, which can result in oversleeping. Close proximity of the alarm clock unit to the sleeper also allows for easy permanent deactivation of the alarm signal, which again can result in oversleeping. In addition, the common use of luminous or lighted displays for nighttime visibility can prove a significant impediment to sleep when such displays are close to the sleeper. Finally, having to place the alarm clock unit near the sleeper can limit visibility of the time information from other vantage points within the room, as well as conflict with more aesthetic considerations.
Examples of prior art alarm clocks with some kind of remote controller include that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,273 by Jetter, which proposes a local alarm signal unit, placed in close proximity to the sleeper, with a remote unit containing means for deactivating the alarm. The remote placement of the deactivating unit forces the sleeper to get out of bed and move to the location of the deactivating unit in order to stop the alarm signal. In this teaching the awakened person is further required to hold the deactivation switch for several seconds, for the purpose of insuring the operator has thoroughly awakened, and thus preventing oversleeping. Once the deactivation requirements have been met, the disabling of the alarm signal is permanent. The teaching of Jetter further requires that the sleeper either get up immediately and satisfy the requirements for deactivating the alarm system, or otherwise endure the alarm signal. Thus, the teaching of Jetter uses separation of the alarm deactivating means from the alarm signal means in order to abruptly force wakefulness upon the user.
Another example of a prior art alarm clock device utilizing a remote control unit to deactivate and alarm signal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,273 issued to Kevin Horinek. In this implementation, provisions are made in the alarm clock for a snooze button which is activated by a hand held remote control unit. A limitation is placed on the number of times the user may utilize the remote control unit, so that a gradual, though finite, period is provided to bring the operator to wakefulness. Though such a configuration is significantly more gentle than the Jetter approach, and thus achieves the purposes for which it was made, it does not provide any genuine relief from the routine experience of waking up in the morning.
Yet another prior art device in which an alarm clock system is separated into two elements is disclosed by Rothman in U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,875. In this invention, the alarm signal portion of the alarm clock is demountably attached to a clock and is adapted to be removed from the clock and thrown against a surface without harm to the alarm signal unit. In this teaching, the alarm signal is deactivated following impact of the alarm signal unit with a surface. Thus a cathartic device is provided for a sleeper who is annoyed by the alarm signal, and also provides a novel means for deactivating the alarm. The invention proposed by this teaching does not help prevent termination of the alarm signal prematurely, that is, before the sleeper is fully awakened. Moreover, this invention does not provide remote control over the alarm, as the throwable portion of the alarm must be attached to the base unit during the inactive period of the alarm.
While any of the aforementioned prior art devices may be said to bring the sleeping person to full wakefulness within a certain interval of time, it will be appreciated that there is no aspect of skill or challenge to their operation by which the process of waking up in the morning might become more enjoyable or, abandoning hyperbole, less to be dreaded.